Blueberry, Peach, Strawberry (Seasonal Fruit Pie)

I saw this recipe on my blogging pal Becky's blog and knew right away I had to try it! I didn't have a cast iron skillet handy so I just used my stoneware pie plate. I left out the nutmeg because that is not a spice that I particularly like. I also used frozen blueberries, peaches and strawberries because I had some to use up from last season....we froze a ton!! I shared this pie with my folks and in-laws and they loved it! I must say it is one of the best pies I have ever made! I used turbinado sugar on top for a little dazzle and crunch!

Click HERE for this fantastic recipe!

*Thanks Becky....this is now my "go-to" pie recipe! I plan on making it again this week!

Enjoy! :)

Lavender Honey Cake

Click HERE and HERE for the two recipes I combined!

I had never used lavender in baking before so it was a new taste experience for me. It was completely different than expected but good. I recommend eating it with some vanilla ice cream instead of plain!!

Notes - Changed the cupcake recipe to 1/2 cup sugar instead of a whole cup.
Icing was too lemony so mixed with more powdered sugar, a little honey and vanilla. Added lavender to the top for decoration!

Enjoy! :)

Unstampabelles Challenge #14

Time for our 14th challenge over at Unstampabelles and for this month we want to see any HANDMADE FLOWER! You have until August 31st to get your entries in and the new challenge will start on September 3rd!
*Just remember......NO STAMPS at all! No rubber, digi, sentiments, etc.!

Our sponsor for this month is Blue Edge Crafts!!

Here is the fabulous prize on offer for this month!



Now for my DT project to get you started!


To make my flower I used the Tim Holz Tattered Floral die to get my flower pieces out of white cardstock. Then I used distres inks by swiping the ink pad on a craft mat and spritzing with some water. Next I "wiped up" the ink using my flower pieces and crinkled them into a ball. Then I dried them with my heat gun. I used hot glue to put each layer together and added a pearl to the center. The background is made from scrap paper and using a scalloped border punch. The top layer is embossed with dots but being black it is hard to see. Added a white rub-on sentiment to finish things off. Hope you like my creation and I would love to see you over there on the challenge blog with your own handmade flower creation! :)

Lemony Orzo Veggie Salad With Chicken

Very refreshing to eat on a hot day!

Click HERE for the recipe!

Enjoy! :)

Happy Holidays

This is a pre-colored digi from Nicecrane Designs which you can find in the store by clicking HERE!

The colors are actually a bit different because my computer I think is running out of ink but it just so happened to match perfectly with some holiday paper I hadn't used before! Don't you just love when things like that work out? :)

Challenges:
Cardmadfairy - Christmas in July
Creatalicious - Christmas in July

Bacon, Tomato and Arugula Pizza

One of my favorite things to eat...PIZZA!! As you can tell by the picture my Pampered Chef pizza stone is well loved!

Click HERE for this recipe!

Enjoy! :)

Little Girl

Digi is from Nicecrane Designs...click HERE to find it in the store. It is also offered pre-colored!

Isn't this the cutest girl ever?!! I just love the new Little Girl Magic Collection at Nicecrane Designs! I wanted to do some really soft colors and my background paper is a technique I learned from my pal Annmaree where you swirl smooch inks in water and then dip your paper in it. Very cool marbling! I added some stickles to the dragonfly, flowers and water but it is hard to see so just use your imaginations! LOL!

Challenges:
Crafty Ribbons - Summer holidays
Crazy 4 Challenges - Stitching
Shopping Our Stash - Precious (I have had that ribbon and marbled paper that I created for a very long time just waiting for the right image!)
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Hey girl
The Pink Elephant - Summer

Spider Mouse

Digi is from Whiff of Joy

Challenges:
Allsorts - Distressing (the web)
Send A Smile 4 Kids - Animal

Happy Birthday Butterfly

I am not sure where this image is from so if anyone knows please tell me so I can give credit!

The background "paper" is actually a cardboard tissue box! You just never know where or when inspiration will strike! LOL! I also decorated the inside with the cardboard and did some white gel pen stitching. Colored the girl image with my Copics, put a little glitter on the flowers and added a rub on sentiment to finish it off.

Challenges:
Cardmadfairy - Summer
Charisma Cardz - Recycle (tissue box)
Delicious Doodles - Summer
Sir Stampalot - What is your crafty passion? (I enjoy turning trash into treasure and coloring!)
ABC Challenge - T for two (I used two sides of a tissue box)
Top Tip Tuesday - Circles

Ribs, Sweet Potato and Sauerkraut!

I can't seem to find the original recipe I used but this one is similar. The difference is I left out the nutmeg and added a can of beer for liquid in the slow cooker! Oh so tasty!!

Click HERE for the recipe!

Enjoy! :)

Father's Day Sailboat

Image is from Cowtown Stamps

I created this CAS card for my FIL. It was for Father's Day but I really think it could be given for just about any occasion! While making it I thought I used the perfect colors...blue for the sky, green for grass and brown for dirt. Then after I already gave it to him and was looking at this picture I thought to myself....DUH...you stamped a boat so there shouldn't be any grass or dirt!! LMAO!! Oh well....I'm sure nobody else thought a thing about it!

Challenges:
Crafty Creations - Free for all
Kaboodle Doodle - Outdoor, sport, hobby, adventure

Baked Green Bean Fries and Blue Cheese Dip

A healthier alternative to deep frying! Click HERE or HERE for the recipe! I also used a different sauce because I had some cottage cheese to use up. You can click HERE for that recipe!

Enjoy! :)

Special Bouquet

Image is from Nicecrane Designs and you can find it in the store by clicking HERE! I sent this card to my hubby's Aunt for her birthday along with a handwritten letter because she loves them so much! Shame it takes me so long to write one these days...the computer really has me spoiled rotten! :P

Challenges:
Creatalicious - Anything goes
Mishelflo's Monthly Challenge - Happy Bloomin' Birthday
Southern Girls - Pearls

Father's Day Cow Card

This is a card I made for my dad this year. Stamps are from Lawn Fawn and on the inside I wrote ... Wishing you an "udderly" Happy Father's Day! HEHE! I just love corny sentiments! :P

Get Well Soon Dragon!

*Stamp is by Dustin Pike from High Hope Stamps

I made this card for my blogging pal Dawn who has recently hurt her ankle and can't get around very well. I thought it might cheer her up a bit and now that I know she has received the card I can post it!

Challenges:
Crafty Calendar - Flowers in bloom
Creatalicious - Anything goes

Grilled Polenta With White Beans and Tomato

A great meatless dish and I added greens and mushrooms to up the health factor even more!
* I could not find flavored polenta in a tube so I just bought the plain stuff and sprinkled seasoning on the slices *

Click HERE for the recipe!

Enjoy! :)

Unstampabelles Challenge #13

Time for our 13th challenge over at Unstampabelles and for this month we want to see any paper creation showing a CELEBRATION! You have until August 3rd to get your entries in and the new challenge will start on August 6th!
*Just remember......NO STAMPS at all! No rubber, digi, sentiments, etc.!

Our sponsor for this month is Cairns Bookbinders!

The beautiful prize on offer for this month is an A5 journal and some ribbon!



To celebrate our first year we are also giving away some blog candy! All you have to do is leave a comment on the Unstampabelle blog (link is at the top of this post) letting us know what your favorite post was during this last year. Please be sure to also mention anything you would like to see more of in the future! The winner will recieve these lovely goodies!


3 Australiana Phone Charms, Cadbury Chocolate 5 x 15g pieces, A5 Textured Paper Pack, 30 Diecut Paper Flowers, Grand Adhesion Stickers, 40 x Rhinestone Florettes.


Now for my DT project to get you started!

Vacation 2 - Part 3 (Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania)

Figured I would try and cram the rest of the trip into one post so I can get back to showing you some crafting projects! It is sooooo hard picking out pictures to share with you guys because I have TONS of them!! Guess I get a little carried away at times with the camera! LOL!

I forgot to share with you some pictures on the last vacation post about a place called Maymont which is in Virginia. The outdoor areas including all the gardens and animals are free to visit and it is really beautiful!





We also went on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge that goes under water....pretty cool but it is so massive you can't really get a picture of it. I'm sure you could do a search online and find all kinds of pictures but they are usually only part of the bridge....as I said it is HUGE!!

Then we headed along the Eastern Shore Drive which wasn't all that interesting until you get to the very Northern part near Chincoteague. That area is super pretty (we visited the state park with beaches and nature trails) and it seems like a neat little town with shops and stuff although we didn't stop at any of them other than a few food places.

We only saw a little area in Maryland ... it was about 10 minutes away from where we were staying the night and it had a fantastic restaurant! We liked it so much we went back twice which is rare for me to do on vacation because I like to try out all new places! But the prices were reasonable and the food was amazing! The restaurant is called The Upper Deck Restaurant and Lounge located in Pocomoke, Maryland.

This is some blackened Ahi Tuna...so good and spicy (yes, I'm learning to eat spicy foods a little bit at a time!)


Literally THE BEST cornbread I have ever had in my life! It was super sweet and dense unlike the dry and crumbly cornbread we have where I am from. She said it was similar to spoonbread. The olive tapenade with the french baguette was good too and I don't usually eat olives!


Next stop is Cape Henlopen, Delaware where we stayed at a state park and spent the entire time either on the beach or visiting the WWII area.

Before checking into the park we stopped at this restaurant called Surf Bagel for lunch. The bagels are made fresh daily! I wish we had more places like that around home!

I had chicken salad with cheese and pineapple on a cinnamon, cranberry, nut bagel! Extremely tasty and filling!!



We ran into an albino looking deer while driving back to our camp site. This was my first time seeing a white deer and I thought it was so unique!


They had several guns next to the military buildings to take a peek at and you could also visit a few bunker sites.


Here is a watch tower that was used during WWII and you can still go all the way up it which was cool!


Our very last stop was Mt. Washington, Pennsylvania which is just across the river from Pittsburgh.

We rode the Duquesne incline up to the top of Mt. Washington and walked around until we got to the other inlcine (there are only two you can ride up).



This is a view of Pittsburgh at the top where the 3 different rivers come together (the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio) and it also shows the old cars we rode in which are from the 1800's!


Near the other incline we found a neat area to walk around with some restaurants. We stopped at a hotdog and beer place called Packs and Dogs.

They have a HUGE variety of cold beers and we enjoyed a few of them along with this hot dog called the Bloodhound which had bbq sauce, onions, cheese and bacon! It tasted wonderful but I only had a few bites because I have texture issues with that sort of meat so hubby was happy to finish the rest for me! :)


Okay, that pretty much wraps my vacations all up! I tried to pick the highlights of each place and give a few restaurant recommendations just in case your ever in the area. Next up will be something crafty!! :)

- Stacie

No Bake Peanut Butter Pie

I have never had peanut butter pie before nor have I ever tried making one until now. I used to think peanut butter was disgusting but now I have grown to really love the stuff!! My hubby has talked about some great peanut butter pies he has had so I thought it was time to see if I could make one that tasted any good. Well, this recipe hit the mark...he said it was one of the best pies EVER! I only wanted to make one pie but I did not halve the recipe... I used a little less milk and a small container of cool whip plus 1 cup of powdered sugar. So this pie ended up being really really rich but tasted OH SO GOOD! Just remember a little goes a long way so be sure you have someone to share it with! Oh and I kept mine in the fridge instead of the freezer because neither of us care that much for frozen desserts. The texture is alot creamier that way!

Click HERE for the recipe!

*For some reason the picture on this link shows an oreo looking pie but it is a peanut butter recipe*

Enjoy! :)

Vacation 2 - Part 2 (Virginia)

Yes it is taking a long time to sort these photos...still more to come too!

This part of our vacation was to Virginia. Our first stop was here at the Natural Bridge. It is 20 stories tall and the area was surveyed by George Washington (he actually carved his initials in the stone!).


We bought a combo ticket which included a walking tour of the cave. The next two pictures show some formations I thought looked neat!



The ticket also included a butterfly garden. This was by far my favorite picture of a butterfly...such detail!


There weren't very many restaurants in the area so we decided to give this restaurant a try called "Fancy Hill Korean Diner"....OH MY GOODNESS...it is AMAZING!! Wish we were in that area for more than a day because I could of eaten it again! The three little dishes are different varieties of kimchi...our fav was the sweet radish one on the left!


We also got miso soup included with our meal. This was my first time trying this soup and I really enjoyed it!


Next up was a quick stop at a place called "Foamhenge". Yep, you read that correctly...it is a mock up of the real "Stonehenge"! LOL! My husband thought I was crazy for wanting to see this!


Doesn't it look cool?! I thought it was neat ... and hey it was free so who cares! :P


The next day was filled up with a food tour of Williamsburg. We did the tour that also included some history of the area including the College of William and Mary. Thought I would share just a couple of the foods we enjoyed...everything was very tasty!

Hot Holly from the College Delly.


Mac N' Cheese from the Blue Talon.


Ribs, slaw and baked beans from Seasons.


The gorgeous view at Virginia Beach!


Loved this HUGE Neptune statue!


They had these signs posted along the streets! I actually thought they were a joke but nope...they are very serious about no cursing!! LOL!


The best sweet potato pecan pancake ever at Doc Taylor's!! So good it doesn't even need syrup!